Tony Stewart Honored by Surprise Award at Champions Week

Normally unflappable, temporarily at a loss. Still a champion.

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This week in Las Vegas, NASCAR has massed in the offseason to celebrate Champion's Week. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won the "Fan Favorite" award again, Jimmie Johnson was honored for his sixth championship and recreated a scene from The Hangover (see below) for the heck of it ,and the National Motorsports Press Association surprised friend of Road & Track Tony Stewart. Stewart, still recovering from the multiple leg fractures he suffered during a Sprint car accident that took him out of the last 15 races of the NASCAR season, was out in Las Vegas to support his crew chief Matt Borland who received the "MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Year Award". Then, the still ailing Stewart was ambling up on stage to make an impromptu speech and accept the Myers Brothers award.

The normally unflappable and outspoken Corvette burnout king was nearly at a loss for words as he stood at the podium, but eventually composed himself and spread the appreciation to everyone who helped him with his work at Eldora motor speedway.

While Stewart looked a little gaunt compared to his pre-accident self, it didn't take long for the former champion to remind "Six-pack" and the team at Hendricks that he would be back at Daytona and that he'd given them enough time off.

Whether or not he is back to full strength is up for debate, and only in-car testing at Daytona in February will bear out the truth of it. Until then, enjoy a rare moment with Tony Stewart as he is honored for his work.